SF Bay Area Fall Gathering, 
Blackhawk Auto Museum
Oct 25, 2003 - Danville, CA
 (click on the picture to enlarge)    

Approximately 40 members and guests, along with a total of fourteen 190SLs, continued the Bay Area member's fall gathering tradition.  This event, hosted by Johannes Raedeker and Joe Amaro, featured a full day of activities: Morning coffee rendezvous in Lafayette at the Lafayette Park Hotel, a scenic drive through a small town and along country roads, a special guided tour at the
Blackhawk Auto Museum (http://www.blackhawkauto.org/) and finally a picnic at nearby Sycamore Valley Park.   The tour in the 70,000 sq.ft. auto museum focused on the rare Mercedes Benz vehicles on display.  Not to be out done, the lineup of 190SLs parked on the plaza attracted well deserved attention from the public whom can now find the Group's Restoration and Ownership book  on sale in the museum bookstore.

A bird's eye view of a dozen 190SLs on the picturesque Blackhawk Plaza.
190SLs basking in the California fall sunshine.
Members waiting for the guided tour to begin.
Rainbow of colors on Blackhawk Plaza.

1957 was a very good year.
.   ______'s blue and Tim Graney's white SLs with members gathering in the background.
Cohost Johannes Raedeker, with Blackhawk Docent Dave Selway, brief members before the tour.
Docent Dave Selway provides a bit of Mercedes history outside of the
pre-war auto gallery.

Members learn about this beautiful 1926 Saoutchik Tourer Model K.
A rare 1938 Delage Arrowsport Coupe Modle D8 120S.
This 1930 Ruxton graces the entrance of the Blackhawk Auto Museum.
Attracting a lot of attention was this 1937 540 K Cabriolet A .

Gullwings were represented by a classic looking 1957 coupe.
Charles Ostrofe stands besides his silver 190SL outside of the Lafayette
Park Hotel.
Keri Ferencz takes a moment to relax during the breakfast rendezvous.
Co-host Joe Amaro, sporting a Williamsburg convention t-shirt and cap,
ready for the country drive.